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Friday, February 18, 2005
Ledesma: Leave the birds alone
By Jun Ledesma
Sunbursts
"Those lovely birds, God forbids, might be carriers of the deadly avian flu, and if they are they can wipe out our poultry industry in no time at all."
I HAVE nothing against bird watching, which is the favorite past time of somebody I and others in this paper know. But I am averse to watching flocks of avian migrants which environment activist and City Councilor Leo Avila wants us to indulge in.
Sorry Leo, but I will neither be happy nor comfortable watching those birds which you said came from as far as China. Remember the avian flu? The deadly virus, which had been proven to be transferable from bird-to-man was first recorded in China. The virus traveled to as far as Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia through the migratory birds. Birds take a long flight to escape the chill of wintry from most parts of China and Siberia. They travel to distant lands and these, according to Leo, include that swampy land in Carmen, Davao del Norte.
His description of the many avian species that seek sanctuary almost absorbs reality I am tempted, like some bird watchers, to rush to Carmen and take a close look at the plumes of those "ibong adarnas" Leo is talking about. But I was told by my late grandpa that "an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Therefore thanks friend Leo but no thanks.
My unsolicited advice for those who wish to see the birds is take a good binoculars, not those cheap imitations peddled by Abdul, and watch them from a comfortable distance. Those who entertain the crazy idea of trapping those birds had better forget it. You might not only wade in mud, you might end up in
isolation.
Am not kidding. Those lovely birds, God forbids, might be carriers of the deadly avian flu, and if they are they can wipe out our poultry industry in no time at all. It's good that they are confined in that one isolated spot in Carmen. You could only wish that our domestic bird species will not be lured by those exotic birds like my publisher loves to feast on in some corner cafe's.
BTW -- There's so much fuss about the Barangay Micro-Finance Enterprises, which is one of the centerpieces of Arroyo administration to spur employment and self-employment. This much ballyhooed piece of legislation authored by Mar Roxas is actually a big joke. Reason? The Bureau of Internal Revenue does not honor small enterprise that is not agriculture-base. But what's surprising about the BIR negative posture on BMFE is that they tell you verbally that your application, despite the issuance of a certificate by the local government and clearance from DOLE, is that they do not issue written notice of disapproval.
I am referring to the Revenue District of Davao City. If you have officials of an agency who stamp their foot on BMFE, President Arroyo need not look elsewhere to find who is sabotaging her plan of generating jobs and encouraging small enterprise to expand and absorb the growing population of jobless Pinoys.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here.
(February 18, 2005 issue)
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